Every year for Lent, I have my seventh graders make a Lenten sacrifice. It can be the traditional one of giving something up for Lent (they most often choose soda), or it can be taking on some new task, such as drinking a glass of milk each day or daily reading. I have four requirements: it must be challenging, it must be measurable, it must be daily, and it must not be unhealthy. Though there are some kids who don’t really do much with this, most of them do a pretty good job.
I always do something for Lent along with them. This year, I decided I would exercise every day. But I only exercised once in five days, and that was just a walk around my neighborhood.
So, I decided to change my Lenten sacrifice to something else. My new one is to do a chore at home every day. My habit has been to let the chores pile up until I have to do something about it. Then it’s usually a whole day on the weekend. So Sunday I cleaned the aquarium, and yesterday I gathered the trash to put it out (today is trash pick up day). Maybe this Lenten sacrifice sounds like a cop out choice, but at least I can do this one. These are all things I would need to do anyway, but this way, I’m spacing them out and taking them at a better pace. I’m thinking this may help me develop some better habits. Plus, I’ll have a cleaner house! 
I’m proud of you. Perhaps each day you could post what you did? Then I’d have a list of Things to Do without making it up myself!
I like the post-a-chore each day. Instead of flylady.net, it’s now flybrad.net.
May I call you Chore Boy ….
and may I suggest just one small change in your plan …I mean wouldn’t it be even more meaningful if you did … oh … lets say a chore a week for someone else … someone who has 2 sons graduating in a few months … and I third the motion of posting the chores … can anyone ever really have enough guilt? I think not.
Good for you, one chore a day!
I too have decided that I am going to skip one chore a day. Today I am not making dinner, tomorrow I will not walk the dog, the next day I will call in sick to work.
I love your plan!…wait a minute…you are adding a chore, I think my plan is better.
A chore a day would be difficult for me. My kids do all the chores! I’m sorry Peggy that your chore boys are now at the age of flying the coop!
I like the idea of calling Brad “Chore Boy” – it’s better than some of the other things I call him!
Perhaps a BIGGER sacrifice would be compounding chores. Day one: Clean the fishtank.
Day two: Clean the fishtank and take out the garbage.
Day three: Clean the fishtank, take out the garbage and make the bed.
Etc.
If you get bored, you could always move the verbs around.
Make out the garbage? That’s a little too weird, don’t you think? Or taking the bed…just where would you take it?
ExACTly!
Dear Brad…it’s almost 8am CST and you have not posted for today (2/28). Are you dead?
I’m a ghoooost! Wooooo!
I don’t know why you can’t see the post. I published it at 5:32am EST.